Food insecurity affects a staggering one in seven residents in the Oregon counties of Hood River, Wasco, and Sherman. Daily hunger is more than just the result of not having enough food. It is often a sympton of deeply rooted inequities within the community – a consequence of disparate distribution of income, power, and the many barriers to employment, education, housing, and healthcare.
Although, hunger is experienced by every demographic, Black, Indigenous, people of color, immigrants, and refugees often do not have access to culturally-specific, healthy, fresh food. To ensure long term food security for immigrant and BIPOC communities, The Olseth Family Foundation is supporting three transformative programs:
1. Community Growers Support Pilot supports 20 Community Growers from equity constituencies (Black, Indigenous, People of Color, immigrant/refugees, single caregivers, and those identifying as trans/gender non-conforming) to provide locally-grown food to communities impacted by hunger.
2. Pathways to Farming equips communities of color to grow fresh, healthy food by providing culturally appropriate hands-on education, training, and capacity building.
3. Ambassador Program provides BIPOC and immigrant community leaders with the skills needed to teach their communities how to grow a low-cost vegetable gardens.
The Olseth Family Foundation’s Initiative surrounding food and housing security aligns with Oregon Food Bank’s mission of eliminating hunger and its root causes, because no one should be hungry.
